§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that William M'Gowan, a man 423 upwards of seventy years of age, who served for twenty-five years in the 31st Regiment, and was in the Crimean campaign, and the campaigns in North China in 1860 and in South China in 1863, and is the holder of three medals, is now without a pension or any gratuity whatever from the War Office, and is at present an inmate of the workhouse, Ballyshannon, county Donegal; and will the authorities of the War Office take any, and, if so, what steps to rescue this man, having regard to his long service, from destitution.
LORD STANLEYThe facts are as stated in the question. The hon. Member is, however, evidently unaware that this man was discharged with ignominy for drunkenness and absence, thus forfeiting all claim to pension, and that he had been previously tried eleven times by court-martial for similar offences and had eighty-seven entries in the regimental defaulters' book. His medals which had been conferred were forfeited owing to his bad conduct. His claim to a pension has been considered by the Chelsea Commissioners, but was rejected owing to the circumstances of his discharge.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLThen how is it the man was allowed to serve twenty-five years and was awarded three medals?